Drier-stacker module



July 8, 1969 T. YAGELOWICH 3,453,744

DRIER-STACKER MODULE Filed Oat. 16. 1967 ELONGATED DRYER ROLLERS 2 AND 3 HEATED BELTS 4 AND 6 DRYER PORTION 'l EDW/IV 7. YAGELOW/CH INVENTOR. I

ROBERT 1.. NATHA/VS ATTORNEY US. Cl. 34-156 United States Patent 3,453,744 DRIER-STACKER MODULE Edwin T. Yagelowich, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Itelr Corporation, Lexington, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 675,416 Int. 'Cl. F26b 13/20 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure is directed to apparatus for drying moist sheets of photosensitive material and stacking them upon a slanted stacking plate after they emerge from the drier.

Backgroimd of the invention Drier-stacker modules are utilized for drying and stacking moist photosensitive prints. As the prints emerge from the drier apparatus, they are transported to a slanted stacking plate and slide to a lower portion thereof at least partially by the action of gravity. The prints, as a rule, emerge from the drier apparatus substantially dry but may be moist enough so that as the sheets are piled one on top of the other upon the stacking :member, they sometimes stick to one another so that successivc sheets settle upon the stacking member at higher and higher positions. If many sheets are stacked, the trailing edges of some of the later stacked sheets may be posi? tioned in the vicinity of the exit portion of the drier and will be heated which in turn may cause discoloring of the prints. Sheets near the exit may also block the exit and subsequent sheets may become wrinkled or torn as a result. It is also desirable to cool the area in the neighborhood of the {uppermost portion of the stacker plate to partially counteract this heating eflect.

Summary of the invention In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, air is introduced under pressure at the underside of the sheets and preferably between the exit portion of the drier and the uppermost portion of the stacking plate to at least partially separate the sheets from one another as they slide or float down the stacking plate to prevent the aforesaid sticking. The pressurized air is preferably relatively cool air (e.g., at room temperature) so that should successively stacked sheets ride up upon the stacking plate in spite of the etfect of air pressure at the underside of the sheets, the sheets will be cooled at least to some extent which tends to counteract the aforesaid discoloration.

The preferred embodiment Referring now to the sole figure, drier portion 1 includes elongated rollers 2 and 3 which drive elongated heated belts 4 and 6 in the direction of arrows 7 and 9. The print 5 is sandwiched between belts 4 and 6 and emerges from the drier and is deflected by guide member 11 so as to be positioned over stacker plate member 12 which is, like the belts and duct 16, at least as wide as print 5. The prints are transported down stacker plate 12 by virtue of the action of the elongated drive rollers and the force of gravity. The leading edge of the prints strike stop portion 13, positioned at the lower extremity of plate 12, and are thus held in the terminal stacking position. Air blower 14 is mounted on a wall portion of the module and draws air into elongated duct 16 which applies air to the underside of sheet 5 as indicated by the dashed arrows. The flow rate is adjusted to be great enough to float at least portions of said sheets as they travel down the stacker plate. Additionally, the duct 16 and guide member 11 are positioned relative to plate 12 so that a portion of the applied air moves in the same direction as the sheets to thereby aid the transport of the sheets over stacker plate 12.

It should therefore be apparent that the application of air in accordance with the invention floats the sheets or prints down the non-horizontally oriented stacking plate to minimize the aforesaid sticking and aids in reducing the temperature at the exit portion of the drier thereby to facilitate neat stacking at the stacker plate stop portion and preventing the aforesaid discoloration.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim the following:

1. In combination:

(a) a stacking member for supporting moist sheets to be stacked thereon; 1

(b) means for transporting said moist sheets to said stacking member;

(c) applicator means for applying air to the underside of said sheets at a flow rate sufiicient to float at least portions of said sheets over said stacking member thereby to prevent sticking of said sheets during transport over said stacking member;

(d) means for orienting said stacking member nonhorizontally so that the force of gravity assists in the transport of said sheets over said stacking member; and

(e) means for supporting the leading edges of said sheets at a lower portion of said stacking member.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said applicator means applies air tothe underside of said sheets and over said stacking member in the direction of transport of said sheetsIto assist in] the transport of said sheets over said stacking member.

3. A drier-stacker module for drying and stacking moist sheets of photosensitive material comprising:

(a) a drier for drying moist sheets of previously processed photosensitive material;

(b) a stacking member oriented non-horizontally for receiving sheets of photosensitive material emerging from said drier and for permitting them to slide to a lower portion thereof at least partially by the action of gravity, and;

(c) applicator means for applying air to the underside of said sheets when said sheets are transported in the neighborhood of said stacking member to at least partially separate them from previously stacked sheets and from said stacking member as said sheets travel down said stacking member, thereby to prevent successively stacked sheets from sticking to 3 one another and being stacked at successively higher positions upon said stacking member.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said applicator means includes an air duct positioned between said stacking member and the exit portion of said drier, together with an air blower communicating with said duct for supplying air under pressure to said duct.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 further including a guide member for directing sheets emerging from said drier toward said stacking member.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,261,972 11/1941 Matthews 271-74 2,261,971 11/1941 Matthews 271-74 2,328,781 9/1943 Brunk 34162 3,375,593 4/1968 Fleisher et a1. 34162 XR KENNETH W. SPRAGUE, Primary Examiner. 

